Tencent cracks whip on WeChat users inflating readership numbers

Scores of WeChat open accounts have been found to feign a series of views and likes on their articles around “robot” WeChat accounts, after Tencent sought to retard such activity on a height with a new back-end update.

Reports by internal media on a mainland settled that from Wednesday, many WeChat open accounts that had formerly gained over 10,000 views and likes for their articles saw those total dump dramatically – by as most as 90 per cent – to only a few hundred views.

Owners of open accounts are means to post articles publicly, and WeChat users can follow them to accept notifications of new posts. This creates open accounts a renouned height for lifestyle bloggers and companies alike.

Popular accounts mostly amass tens of thousands of views and likes on any essay posted, and readership numbers have turn a yardstick for how renouned or successful a open comment is.

However, internal reports explain that many of these accounts buy their readership numbers by coming companies who specialise in formulating “fake” WeChat accounts and assign as small as 15 yuan (US$2.25) for 100 views.

Once these services have been bought, “robot” accounts would afterwards revisit articles regularly to boost a series of views.

WeChat expelled a matter to residence a issue, observant that a proliferation of such services have turn a mature “black attention chain” that is apropos some-more modernized and harder to combat.

“It is formidable to solve a problem all during once, so this ‘cat and mouse’ diversion will continue for a duration of time,” Tencent pronounced in a statement. “We will continue strengthening a technical methods to safeguard that this height is loyal and fair.”

Tencent also cursed users who calculated a data, observant that there is no contrition in “false glory” and severely hurts a companies that play by a book.